Material handling device



June 14, 1949. R. K. MUISE y MATERIL HANDLING'DEVICE Filed July 25, 1945 Ik n 4 l ////l K 2 Patented June 14, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE (Granted under the act f March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) 7 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for transporting and depositing material and more particularly to a sling carriage device for use in the construction of stagings and platforms.

Prior to the construction of large units of any kind such as, for example, oflice and tenement buildings, bridges, stadia, ships, swimming pools, and like large units, it is necessary to erect a temporary structure or scaffolding to support materials, tools and men stationed at various levels above the ground. The temporary structure will, in most cases, consist of a skeleton framework composed of Vertical parallel stanchions with opposite parallel horizontal members secured to said stanchions at xed intervals upwards along said vertical stanchions. Planks are lain across these opposite parallel horizontal members to form a scaffold or rigging which is disassembled when the ship, stadium or building is completed.

. The skeleton framework will border on or rim the more permanent structure being built, and as this more permanent structure grows (more floors to a building, more decks to a ship, etc.) a correspondingly taller framework will have to be built. Planks will have to be raised to higher levels and positioned to the skeleton framework at these higher levels to form new platforms or scaiolds.

The loading of planks and the transportation and positioning thereof onto the opposite parallel horizontal braces of a skeleton framework is a tedious but necessary part in the construction of these temporary scafolds or riggings. Any saving of time, reduction of risk, or simplification of the method of erecting these plank scaffolds would be beneficial to shipwrights and to the building construction industry.

An object of this invention is to provide means for hastening the construction and removal of scaiiolds.

A further object is to decrease the risks involved in the construction and removal of scaffolds and riggings.

A further object is to increase the load of planks that can be carried in one hoist of the crane lifting the planks in preparation for erecting scaffolds and riggings.

Further objects and advantages of this invention, as well as its construction, arrangement and operation will be apparent from the following description and claims in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is an isometric View of this invention in operation,

Figure 2 is a right elevation view of this invention, shown with the planks in position, said planks not being a part of this invention,

Figure 3 is an elevation view of one of the supports which forms part of this invention, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged View of the engagement of the bar with one of the slotted supports, said bar and supports being part of this invention.

Previous to this invention, before erecting a temporary scaffold or rigging, planks were stacked singly, one atop the other in groups, say, of three (the number in a group being arbitrary and dependent upon the width of the planks and the width of the scaffold required), the ends of the planks were choked and held firmly together by a cable, strong wire, or other suitable securing means. Pieces of dunnage werek placed atop of this bound set of planks and another set of planks, similarly secured as the first group, was placed atop of the dunnage. The entire assembly, consisting of alternate layers of planks and dunnage, was lashed and secured to a crane. The crane hoisted the assembly and put it to rest on a landing already provided with a platform to support a workman.

The workman or workmen, since the job ordinarily required more than one person, removed the cable, strong wire, or similar strapping means thatl bound the top group of three planks, placed the now loose dunnage between the lower two layers of planks, relashed the remaining layers of planks, and then positioned the three recently removed planks onto and adjacent pair of parallel horizontal braces that are secured to the vertical stanchions of the skeleton framework.

The above described method limited the number of layers that could be carried, as the distance of the top plank of the stacked pile of planks from the lowest plank could not exceed the reach of a man of average height, it having been necessary to reach up from the platform on which the man was standing to remove the ycable or wire that bound the ends of the top set of planks. This method of removing the planks was cumbersome and dangerous since the man removing the planks had to remove a tightly strung wire or cable while he was resting on a scaffold high above the ground, then had to remove the planks and position the latter onto the skeleton framework, and finally had to resecure the crane to the remaining stack of planks.

Another `method of constructing plank scaffolcls was to deposit the entire load of planks, secured as described above, upon the parallel horizontal braces of the skeleton structure. Someone then had to climb to the very top plank, and, while seated on this top plank, had to loosen the lashing that secured all the groups of three planks, remove the wire that held the three top planks together, step down on one of the horizontal braces of the skeleton structure and carefully guide the three loose top planks onto the opposite parallel horizontal braces of the skeleton framework, retighten the lashing attached to the crane onto the remaining planks, place the dunnage that separated the top group of planks from the group directly below to another part of the stacked pile of planks, and when the crane has moved off with the relashed load, assemble the planks recently removed from the assembly onto the skeleton framework so as to form a scaffold.

Reference will not be made to the drawings to show how the present invention speeds up the construction of the temporary scaifolds and removes many of the hazards inherent in the present method of constructing temporary scaffolds.

A carrying frame I8 comprises a ribband or strongback II from which depends a pair of jaws I2 and I3 that are bolted or otherwise rmly secured to the strongback II. Each jaw is permanently reenforced by metal crosspieces I4 to prevent choking of the jaws I2 and I3.

At spaced intervals along the arms I5 and I6 of jaws I2 and I3, respectively, are slots I'I (Figure 3) into which are inserted bars I8, said bars I8 extending from one arm I5 or I6 to its opposite arm I5 or I6 and running parallel to the permanent reenforcing crosspiece Ill. Each bar I8 has a handled end I9 which restricts the bar IB from going beyond the slot I1 and also facilitates removals of said bar I8 from its posin tion on the carrying member Il).

At the other end of the bar I8 is a curved foot 28 (Figure 4) having a hook 2I that extends be low the slot I1 so that the bar I8 will not become disengaged from the slot I1. Said disengagement is very unlikely when planks 22 are resting on the bar I8 since the weight of the planks 22 is urging the hook 2| to remain below the slot I1. The rectangular shape of the slots I1 and corresponding rectangular shape of the bars I8 will key the bars I8 to the slots I1 so as to prevent rotation oi the bars I8.

At spaced intervals along the top face of each bar I8 are barbs 23 (Figure 2) that are contiguous with each bar I8 and serve to grip each plank 22 that is lain across the bars I8 so as to prevent slippage of the planks 22. The number of barbs 23 is optional, and the slots I1 must be made long enough to allow these barbs 23 to pass through them.

In operation, the planks 22 are placed upon the bars I8, as shown in Figure l, each layer having three or more planks 22, the number being optional and dependent upon the width of the scaffold required. The number of layers of planks 22 to be lifted by this carrying frame I0 is also optional and dependent upon the design oi the carrying frame Iii. The number of layers of planks 22 that can be carried can easily be altered to suit the needs of the one who is constructing the temporary scafolds simply by extending the arms I5 and I6 and increasing the number of slots I1 and bars I8 that will be carried by these arms I5 and I6.

Shackles 24 are secured to the junction of the arms I3 and the junction of the arms I4 and a cable 25 connects the shackles 24 to a crane,

said crane lifting the entire load, planks 22 and carrying frame III. The load is carried to a skeleton framework, a portion of said skeleton framework being shown in Figure 1. The skeleton framework consists of parallel Vertical metal stanchions 21 to which are secured opposite parallel horizontal braces 28 and 29. The load is gui-ded until the planks 22 are directly over the skeleton framework, the load being eased down so that the ends of the bottom layer of planks 22 rest on the horizontal braces 28. The resting of the lower layer planks 22 upon the opposite parallel horizontal braces 28 releases said lower layer of planks 22 from intimate contact with the lower bars I8 and permits a pair of said bars I8 to be withdrawn from the carrying frame I0 by simply pressing downward upon the handle I9 of the bar I 8 so as to permit the hook 2I to pass through the slot I1.

The bar is withdrawn by a person standing on a scaiold adjacent the one being erected. In fact, it is possible to have a man ride along with the load so that he can reach down and remove the bars I8 as the crane goes from one location to another along the skeleton framework depositing layer after layer of planks 22.

A box or compartment 30 is detachably secured to the strongback II, said box 30 serving to retain the bars I1 that are withdrawn from the carrying frame I0 after each deposition of planks.

Thus the scaffolds are built substantially in a horizontal plane prior to the erection of additional higher levers of scafolds because the length of the planks 22 precludes the erection of a scaffold until the one below it has been laid. In other words, since the length of the planks 22 exceed the distance between parallel crosspieces 28 lying in the same horizontal plane, other crosspieces similar to crosspieces 28 are not secured upwards along stanchions 21 until planks 22 have been deposited on the crosspieces 28.

The above described device permits a safe and speedy construction of large sca'olds. This invention can also be used for disassembling the scaiolds and removing the .planks 22 from the skeleton framework when there is no further need for the temporary scaffolds. This apparatus and method for transporting and depositing material could be applied to other industrial processes wherein it is necessary to deposit material in fixed groups onto an area or site to which human access is dangerous or undesirable.

It is to be understood that various modifications and changes may be made in this invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as set forth in the appended claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed is:

1. A sling carriage comprising a rigid framework having an open bottom, multiple readily removable article-supporting means disposed at two ends of said framework at spaced intervals upwards along said rigid framework, and articleretaining means on said article-supporting means.

2. A sling carriage comprising a rigid framework having an open bottom, multiple readily removable article-supporting means disposed at two ends of said rigid framework, means to hold said article-supporting means against horizontal dislodgement from said framework while articles are being supported by said article-supporting means, and article-retaining means on said article-supporting means.

3. A sling carriage comprising a horizontal beam, multiple open-bottomed rigid frames secured to and depending, at spa-ced intervals, from said horizontal beam, slots in said frames, readily removable non-rotatable article-supporting rods secured, at spaced intervals, upwards along said rigid frames and supported in said slots, and

article-retaining means on said article-supporting rods.

4. A sling carriage comprising va horizontal beam, multiple open-bottomed rigidly maintained frames secured to and depending from said horizontal beam, slots in said frames, readily removable non-rotatable plank supporting rods secured in said slots at spaced intervals upwards along said rigid frames, means attached to an end of said rods to hold them against horizontal dislodgement from said slots while -blanks are being carried by said sling carriage, plank retaining means on said supporting rods, and means to reoeive the rods after said rods have been removed from said slots.

5. A sling carriage comprising a rigid framework having an open bottom, multiple readily removable article-supporting means disposed near opposite ends of said framework at spaced intervals upwards along the framework, article-retaining means on said article-supporting means,

and a receptacle attached to the framework for housing the article-supporting means when the latter have been removed from their normal disposition on said framework.

6. A sling lcarriage comprising a horizontal beam, multiple open-bottomed rigid frames secured to and depending from said beam, a plurality of readily removable article-supporting bars disposed at spaced intervals upwards along each of said rigid frames, article-retaining prongs arising from said bars, handles at an end of each bar :to facilitate the removal of same when the weight of said articles is removed therefrom, and means attached to the other end of each bar to hold said bars against horizontal dislodgement.

7. A sling carriage comprising a horizontal beam, multiple open-bottomed rigid frames secured to and depending from said beam, a, plurality of plank-supporting bars disposed at spaced intervals upwards along each of said rigid frames, plank-retaining prongs arising from said bars, handles at an end of each bar to facilitate the removal of same when the weight of planks is removed therefrom, and means attached to the other end of each bar to hold said bars against dislodgement.

ROBERT K. MUISE.

REFERENCES CITED The following referentces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,112,866 Slutman Oct. 6, 1914 1,749,107 Medairy Mar, 4, 1930 2,213,718 Reed et al. Sept. 3, 1940` Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,472,843 June 14, 1949 ROBERT K. MUISE It is hereby certified that errors appear n the printed speocation of the above numbered patent reqmrng correction as follows:

Column 3, line 18, for the Word not read now; column 5, line 20, claim 4, for the Words blanks are read planks are;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 13th day of December, A. D. 1949.

[SEAL] THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant ommsszoner 0f Patents. 

